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Cinderella III: A Twist in Time
| starring=Jennifer Hale Christopher Daniel Barnes Susan Blakeslee Corey Burton Tress MacNeille Andre Stojka Russi Taylor | runtime=75 minutes | music=Joel McNeely }} Cinderella III: A Twist in Time (released in UK as simply Cinderella: A Twist in Time) is the second direct-to-video sequel to the 1950 Walt Disney Pictures animated classic Cinderella. Canonically it is a continuation of the original Cinderella, rather than Cinderella II: Dreams Come True, though due to its unusual chronological sequencing it acknowledges the events of Cinderella II: Dreams Come True by using some of its characters. The film was released on February 6, 2007 and was directed by Frank Nissen and features the voices of Jennifer Hale and Susanne Blakeslee. It made its world television premiere on Toon Disney on December 3, 2007. Plot Cinderella and the Prince are having a picnic to celebrate their one-year anniversary. Meanwhile, at the Tremaine mansion, Cinderella's stepsisters Anastasia and Drizella are bitterly doing Cinderella's old chores. Anastasia wanders off to avoid work and stumbles upon the picnic. When the Fairy Godmother drops her wand, Anastasia takes it to her mother. In the ensuing struggle, Anastasia inadvertently turns the Fairy Godmother into a garden gnome. Lady Tremaine, reveling at yet another chance to ruin Cinderella's life, uses the wand to go back in time to the day the Grand Duke fitted the glass slipper on Cinderella. She uses the wand to expand the slipper so that it can fit Anastasia, and the Grand Duke declares she must be the girl the Prince is looking for. Cinderella arrives on the scene too late, and Lady Tremaine destroys Cinderella's other slipper – the only clue to her identity that she was the girl who danced with the Prince on the night of the ball. Cinderella decides to follow Lady Tremaine and her stepsisters to the palace with Jaq and Gus. At first the Prince claims Anastasia is not the girl he danced with at the ball, but Lady Tremaine uses the wand to alter his memory, and he accepts Anastasia as his bride. Jaq and Gus witness this and inform Cinderella that Lady Tremaine has the Fairy Godmother's wand. Cinderella poses as a maid to get into the Tremaines' room, but she is spotted by Lady Tremaine and captured by the palace guards as an intruder. Cinderella briefly touches the Prince's hand and he begins to recognize her, but Lady Tremaine orders Cinderella placed on the next ship out of the kingdom. The mice find the Prince and explain the whole story to him, and he rides off to intercept the ship just as it leaves port. The Prince embraces Cinderella and his true memories return. He asks her to marry him, and she accepts. The Prince brings Cinderella back to the palace and explains everything to the King and the Grand Duke. The King orders the Tremaines arrested, but they escape using the wand. As Cinderella prepares for her wedding, Lady Tremaine emerges with Anastasia, who has been magically transformed into a doppelgänger of Cinderella. Lady Tremaine then makes Cinderella vanish into a pumpkin carriage, this one being an evil version along with a human version of Lucifer as the driver. The intent is to have her killed. With the help of Jaq and Gus, the three conquer over the pumpkin carriage and Lucifer, and ride back on the horse that was used. Cinderella makes it back to the wedding just in time to witness, to her amazement, Anastasia (still using Cinderella's appearance) saying "I don't", and declaring she only wants to be loved for herself, having realized that she doesn't truly love the Prince. Visibly angered, Lady Tremaine and Drizella reveal themselves. The king orders his guards to seize Lady Tremaine. In a fit of lust and with no fear, Lady Tremaine immediately uses the wand and turns them all into various animals as they all lunge for her, so they can't get to her, while Drizella tells her to turn Anastasia into a toad. Determined to defend Anastasia for her honesty, Cinderella confronts Lady Tremaine and forbids her to use magic on either of them. When an unfazed Lady Tremaine attempts to turn both Cinderella and Anastasia into toads, the Prince steps in and uses his sword to reflect the spell against the two, causing both Lady Tremaine and Drizella to disappear and then reappear in the cellar as toads. Anastasia reunites Cinderella with the Prince and picks up the wand and returns to normal, then gives the wand to Cinderella and attempts to give the seashell back to the king, who lets her keep it by saying "Everybody deserves true love." Cinderella thanks Anastasia, and the two reconcile, putting their animosity firmly behind them. Both Cinderella and Anastasia then bring back the Fairy Godmother from her stone state, who offers to undo Lady Tremaine's change of events, but the offer goes unheard of, as Cinderella and the Prince get married on that day. The ending credits show several paintings depicting the main cast before showing both Drizella and Lady Tremaine being restored to their human forms, but must now work for Cinderella, wearing exactly the same clothes they forced her to wear, much to their horror. Production This film was Disney Australia's final feature (the studio was closed and equipment auctioned off once Cinderella III production completed in July 2006). Cast *Jennifer Hale as Cinderella. Ian Harrowell served as the supervising animator for Cinderella. *Christopher Daniel Barnes (credited as "C.D. Barnes") as Prince Charming. Robert Mason served as the supervising animator for Prince Charming. *Susan Blakeslee as Lady Tremaine *Tress MacNeille as Anastasia Tremaine. Lily Dell served as the supervising animator for Anastasia. *Russi Taylor as Drizella Tremaine and The Fairy Godmother *Andre Stojka as the King *Holland Taylor as Prudence *Rob Paulsen as The Grand Duke and Jaq *Corey Burton as Gus *Frank Welker as Lucifer *Tami Tappan as Cinderella (singing voice) Soundtrack The original songs contained in the body of the film, including "Perfectly Perfect," "More than a Dream" and "At the Ball" were written by frequent Disney songwriters Alan Zachary and Michael Weiner. Hayden Panettiere performed the end credits song, "I Still Believe," and a music video was created as a DVD bonus feature. An official soundtrack has yet to be released. Release Cinderella III: A Twist in Time was released on DVD February 2007. Although a demo VHS has been found it has been neither confirmed nor denied if a real VHS was ever released. The film went back to the Disney Vault on January 31, 2008. Features *Games and Activities Bibbidi-Bobbidi Game Cinderella's Ballroom (DVD-ROM) *Music and More "I Still Believe" Music Video By: ''Hayden Panettiere *Backstage Disney Backstage At Disney Cruise Line's "Twice Charmed" First Look At The New DVD, "Disney Princess Enchanted Tales" Reception Cinderella III received a mostly positive response among the seven critics compiled at Rotten Tomatoes, who gave it a 71% rating. It was reviewed more positively compared to its predecessor, Cinderella II: Dreams Come True, which scored an 11% critical approval rating. Slate magazine writer Dan Kois uses Cinderella III to defend the merits of Disney's straight-to-video sequels, after Disney announced they were eliminating production of any more sequels. Kois points out that in Cinderella III, the wicked stepsister (Anastasia)—originally an "oafish caricature"—finally becomes a fully fleshed-out character, and some of the absurdity of the original film is gently mocked. Many have noted numerous similarities between the film's premise and that of Twice Charmed: An Original Twist on the Cinderella Story, a Broadway-style stage musical created by Walt Disney Creative Entertainment that currently runs on the Disney Cruise Line. References External links * *Cinderella 3 DVD Official Disney Website *[http://animated-views.com/2007/director-frank-nissen-on-cinderella-iii-a-twist-in-time/ Director Frank Nissen on Cinderella III: A Twist in Time] * * Category:2007 films Category:2007 animated films Category:2007 direct-to-video films Category:2000s American animated films Category:2000s musical films Category:American films Category:American children's animated fantasy films Category:American sequel films Category:Animated musical films Category:Cinderella (franchise) Category:Direct-to-video sequel films Category:DisneyToon Studios animated films Category:Disney direct-to-video animated films Category:English-language films Category:Films about fairies and sprites Category:Films set in France Category:Films scored by Joel McNeely Category:Time travel films Category:Screenplays by Evan Spiliotopoulos